Gas or vapor engine



No. 62!,"0. I Patented Mar. I4, I899. G; W. LEWIS.

GAS-0R VAPOR ENGINE.

4 Sheets-Sheet l.

llll Jaye/afar gij No. 62l,|l0. Patented Mar. l4, I899.

G. W. LEWIS.

GAS OH VAPOR ENGINE.

' [Application filed July 15, 1895.) 6N0 Model.) 4 Sheeis-Sheet 2 4': v Z J No. 62|,IIO. Patented Mar. I4, I899.

G. W. LEWIS. GAS on VAPOR ENGINE.

(Application filed July 15, 1895.)

4 sham-sheet a.

'(No Modal.)

W 1% my @J Patented Mar. l4, l899.. e. w.

LEWIS. GAS 0R VAPOR ENGINE.

(Ap'plication filed July 15, 1895.) v

4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

(No Model.)

GEORGE whswis, or chroseo ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THE J. THOMPSOHN it soNs MANUFACTURZING COMPANY, OF BELOIT, WISCONSIN.

ess vseo n ENGl-NE.

@P EGIFIGKEIQEt' formhag part of Isetters Petenthloi 621,110, dated mere 14;, 189?). Application iiled July 15, 189B? Sarlsl Ho. 56 5,978. (Nd model.)

To all whom it may concern:-

Be it known that I, Ghonen W. Lewis, of

Chicego,,iii the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gas or Vapor Engines; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to theisccornpenying dr'aw-.

ticnlarly. to single-acting engines of that class in which an explosion orim'pulse takes place at every forward or power'strohe of the piston and in which is employed on aimcompressionchamber which isin communication with the cylinder and in which air is compressed at each power-stroke of the piston preparatory toits admission to the cylinder behind the piston'st the termination of the power-stroke of the letter. Certain of the features herein illustrated and described may, however, be employed in connection with engines of other than the particular kind descrihed.

- The invention maybe more readily understood by reference to the accompanying drewings, in which- Figure 1 ice View in side elevation of an explosiveengine' embodying my i invention. Fig. .2 is a. sectional elevation of the same, taken on :line 2 2 of Fig. l, the'power and gassupply cylinders being shown in'centrnl longitudinsl sectiomr Fig. 3.i s a, section taken upon line 33 oi Fig. 2, showing the upper part of the resin cylinder in central vertical section. Fig. 4 is a view in side elevation,

with parts in section, of the piston of the supply-cylinder. Fig. 5 is a view in centralverticsl section ofthe gasolene-pump. Fig. 6 is a. diagrammatic section of the power and supply cylinders, showing the relative positions of the pistons therein sndtheir connections with the crankshaft.

As shown in said drawings, A indicates the power-cylinde1' of the engine and B e piston therein, which is connected with the crankshsft i0 thronighthe medium of the pi'tmsn D. Said cylinder A is open at one end end closed ht itsopposite end, or at inlet end in which the egplosion takes place, by means-of the head hii 'lhepiston B is what is known as -a. trunk-piston, the same having the form of aicylinder closed at one end. and the pitman D being pivoted directly thereto by means ofa pivot-rod d; Surrounding the cylinder A at its end adjsGent,to the head A is an exterior casing or jacket A forming an annular space/t3!)l contain water for cooling the cylinder, as eretofore common.

To the open ehd of the powencylinder. is secured anhollow seeing or chamber E, which supports the'bearin'gs e c of the shaft (3 and also forms a chamber within which air'is compressed at each forward stroke of the piston, said chamber forming a. housing or inclosnre which surrounds the crank-shaft and connecting-rod. As far sis the operation of said charm her E as'a; compressiomchember is concerned, however, its attachment to the open end. of the cylinder in a manner to form a casing hr housing for the creek is not essential, andthe same result may be produced byte location ofthe said chamber elsewh rethsn' in the position shown, provided it is 11 open communication with that end of the cylinder toward which the piston mevesin its forward or power stroke.

In the psrtieulsr construction illustrated the chamber E consists of s hollow casting having apertures in its sides whichere covered or closed by separate plates E, on which are cast the bearingeleeves e. Said casing in.

this instencdmoreover, forms the frame of the engine, and it t ey be provided with any suit-able means for supporting it on s ioundaf tion or otherwise, the same being herein shown as attached to horizontcl and parallel bars Ehcon'stitnting part of the framework of the vehicle which this -pa,rticnlsr engine is designed'to drive. The said cylinder A is provided at one side with a. plurality of admission-ports d, which are covered by the piston, excepting when the letter is at the out: 5

ward limit of its movement. aid ports open into a passage or. chamber A, the side and outer walls of which are hereinshown es cast integral with the cylinder. The chamber is, however, provided with an opening opposite roe , sulting from the e'xplosion,and these latterare I the head G.

the said ports, which opening is closed by a cap or plate a, bolted to the cylinder in the manner illustrated. The passage or chamher A is connected withvthe'compressionchamber-E through the medium of apipe or passage F, attached at its upper end to the.

wall of said passage A and connected at its lower end with the compression-chamber by means of a branch pipe E, Fig. 1.- Said pipe F is shown as extended past the branch F and provided at its lower end "with air-admis sion openings and with an inwardly-opening check-valve F Said extension of thepipe F and the valve F are for the purposeof admitting air to'the compression-chamber E during the upward or back stroke of the piston, the ports a being at such time covered by the piston, so that air can enter the compression-chamber at such time only through the said check-valver In the power or outward strokeof the piston the check-valve F is closed by the air-pressure and the air is compressed within the compression-chamber untilthe piston appr aches the outer limit of its stroke and unco ers the ports a, when the'air theretofore compressed within the chamber passes into the power-cylinder.-

At the side of the power-cylinder A, in post. tion to be uncovered by the piston when it" reaches the outward limit of its stroke, is located an exhaustport a, which exhaustport communicates with "the exhaust-pipe A,

leading to a'desired point of discharge. As

in other similar engines, said exhaust is. for the discharge of the spent or dead gases re shaft. The cylinder G, like the cylinder. A, is

open at one end, being closed at the other by Y The piston His of trunk form, the pitman being pivoted-within the same by pivot-rod J, Fig. 1, indicates a carbureter for supplying a-mixture of air and vapor to the charging-cylinder, said carbureter being' constructed in the same manner as that shown in a prior patent, No.'.511,535, grantedto me "on the 26th day of December, 1893. Said carburetor is connected with the cylinder G-by means of a pipe J, which leads'iuto a tubular extension G rising from the head G of the said cylinder. Said carburetor consists generally of a main-tank or vessel constitutingthe body of the carburetor, an air-inlet pipe j, which enters the top of the vessel and reaches to a point near the bottom of the s'ame;anda supply-pipe J for the carbureting liquid,such

as. ga'solene. The connecting pipe J,which:

leausto'the supply-cylinder,is connected with the top ot the tank J and inthe downstroko for supplying liquid to the carb-ureter, as will be hereinafter described.

To now refer more particularly to the means for delivering the mixture of air and vapor to the power-cylinder, these features are constructed' as. follows;- K is a passage leading from the side of the charging-cylinderG' to the power end of the cylinder A, said passage A governing device is provided for being herein shown as formed in the adjacent walls of the two cylinders and extending through the'cylinder-head A, so as'to 0 en at -the inner face of said head. At the disc large end of the passage K is located a check-valve L, which opens toward the power-cylinder, said value, as shown, consisting .of a valvedisk Z, the margi ns of which rest against an annular seat forined onthe cylinder-head A, and a stem' Z, to which the disk. is attached. The said valve is held against the seat by a spring LJ, preferably made of coiledform-and located in a tubular extension a of the head A, around the valve-steunbetween a shoul der at theinner end ofisaidtubnlar extension and a head at the outer end of the stem. A cap 1 applied to the extension of, covers the outer end of the stem and protects the parts from the admission of dustxor dirt.-

The piston H of the charging-cylinder is provided with apassage'h,'extending'from its inner faceto-ward its outer end and opening at the side ofthe piston at'some' dlStiluce-from its said inner face. 'The exit port or opening h of thesaid passage is arranged t'ocome opposits the passageK at the time when the said piston H is at the upper or inward limit of its stroke. To. prevent escapejof air from said port h, the piston is shown as provided with annular acking-rin 's71, 7; arran ed atoppo site sides of said opening in the mannerillustrated, .Figs. 2 and 4..

G indicates a check-valve located in the passage from the carburetor to the cylinder G-and opening inwardly or toward said cylinder. Saidcheck-valve'isprefe'rably located1 at the inner end' of the tubular/extension ,G being adapted to rest against an annular bearing surface orseat foi'med in the cylinderhead G, aroundthe passage which leads from the cylinder into the said tubular exten-' sion.. The valve illustrated consists of a disk .which is attached to'a valve-stem 1', ex-

tendingupwardly through theclosed end of the tubular extension G and passing through a bracket g between which bracket anda nut g on the outer end of the stem is located a coiled spring Gfl-which acts ubyexpansion to,hold the*disk normally'against its seat; Said disk-usually and in the upward stroke .of the piston His closed but in thedownstroke of the piston it opens. under atmospheric pressure to admit the admixture of air and vapor coming from the carbureter to the upper end of the said cylinder G.

The position of the parts at the time the compressed charge is exploded is illustrated in Fig. 2. The piston 13 of the power-cylinder is then at the upward limit of its movement, and the piston H of the supply or charging cylinder is near the lower limit of its movementand in the act of descending, so as to draw the air into the same through the carbureter. At this time the port h of said piston H is belowthe passage K, while the said passage K is closed by the upper part of said piston H, which in no case moves far enough to uncover said passage, the said piston H being made of a length greater than its stroke. In mg. 6 the position of the parts is shown at the time the piston B of the power-cylinder has begun its upward stroke and has moved so far as to close the inletport a and to nearly close the exhaust-port a. At this time the piston H is approaching the end of its stroke and the port h has reached the passage K, so as to permit the charge of mixed air and vapor which has been compressed in the upper end of the supply or charging cylinder to escape from the same past the check-valve L to the powercylinder. The piston H, with its port h, together with the'passage K, constitute in effect a valve by which the passage of gas or vapor to the power-cylinder is controlled. In said Fig. 6 is shown the relative positions of the main crank and the'eccentric I, from which it will be seen that the said crank and eccentric are set at such angles that the'pis ton H will approach the upper limit of its movement as the main piston B is starting upward. As will be readily understood from the above, the air compressed within the chamber E in 'the outward or power stroke of the piston is forced through the pipe. F and inlet-ports a into the power-cylinder when the main piston B passes beyond and uncovers the said inlet-ports at the limit of its powerstroke. The quantity of air forced from the ehamberE being practically equal to that required to fill the cylinder, it follows that the incoming air from the inlet-ports, which will be thrown toward the head of the cylinder by the shoulders b' of the piston-as it enters the cylinder, will drive all of the spent gas out of the cylinder through the exhaust-port, so

. that when the piston starts back on its return and has covered the inlet-ports the cylinder will be filled with air only. A charge of mixed a'irand gas has meanwhile been compressed in the supply cylinder G, and when the exhaust-port has been closed, or nearly so, by the movement of the main piston the charge of mixed air and vapor, which is held in the said supply-cylinder under a pressure much greater than that of the air within the power-cylinder, is then forced into the latter partially by expansion, which takes place as soon as it is admitted to the passage K, and partially by the direct action of the piston H, which is preferably made to reach the cylinder-head G, or nearly so, in its upward stroke, thereby forcing from the supply cylinder practically all of the mixture remaining therein. The piston B need not completely cover the exhaust-port a before the charge is admitted to the main cylinder; but it is preferred that the exhaust-port should be f llly closed very shortly after'the charge begins to enter the cylinder in order that none of the vapor or gas may reachthe exhaust-port before the same is completely closed.

The ignition devices of the engine illustrated are of electrical character and consist of an electrode M, formed by a bar which is a lever N, pivoted in a bracket '11 on the head and. one end of which is held against the electrode M by means'of a spring a; An outwardly-extendii gend n of the lever is adapted for contact with the piston B, so as to draw the lever away from the electrode, and thus produce a spark at the time the piston reaches the inward limit of its movement.

As a further and separate improvement in gas-engines I placev over the vapor or gas inlet to the cylinder a perforated plate O,which plate is so arranged as to break up the stream of air and gascoming from the supply-cylinder and to partially confine the same at the power end of the cylinder and in the neighborhood of the ignition device there located. In other words, the said perforated plate prevents the incoming mixture from entering in the form of astream or jet, which would pass to-the opposite end of the cylinder, and thus delay the mixing of gas with that part ofthe air adjacent to the cylinder-head and igniting device thereon by breaking up such stream or jet and distributingthe same in the part of the cylinder adjacent to the head, so that it will become intermingledwith the air there located. 1 The governing device illustrated is of that kind which acts by limiting the opening of the check-valve through which the mixture of air and gas or vapor is admittedto the -en gine, the same, as hereinhefore stated, being applied in this instance to the inlet-val've-G of the supply-cylinder G. Said governing device embraces features as follows: P is a bell-crank lever mounted on the bracket p, attached to the cylinder G and havinga horizontalarm p, which reaches to the valvestem 9' and is adapted for contact with the collar 9 on said valve-stem,wvhich collar is located between the bracket g and the end of the tubular projection Giand is adapted when the valve is moved inwardly for opening the inlet-port. The second arm 19 0f. the

bell-crank lever engages an actuating-lever Q, which is pivoted between itsends to a bracket q and is connected at its opposite end with a sliding sleeve Q on the crank-shaft C by means of a ring q',which engages a groove in the sleeve, with which said lever is connected by a slot-and-pin connection in a fato hold the governorfweights inwardly or adconstructed operates to lessen the amount of' jacent to the shaft against their centrifugal action. Said governor-weights hold the sleeve Q normally in such position that the lever-- 'arm 1) of the bell-crank lever is free from the collar but when the normal speed of the engine is exceeded the said s'eeve is shifted endwise and the said arm 10' thereby moved outwardly, so as to limit the ixtent of opening of the valve-by the cont-act of the said collar 9 therewith. The governing device thus gas or vapor-delivered to the charging-cylin der when the speed of the engine exceeds-the normal rate. The reduction in the charg e is etfected by the pressure whichtends' to hold closed, or partially so, the inlet-valve, thereby lessening the admission area, so as to prevent the entrance of the mixture rapidly enough to fill the space behind the receding piston at atmospheric pressure, and thus producing a partial vacuum and giving a charge having less than the usual quantity of gas or vapor, according to the degree to which the entrance of the mixture has been retarded.

As a simple means of maintaining a constant supply of liquid in the carburetor J, I have provided a pumping mechanism which is constructed as follows: S is an upright pumpbarrel containing a solid cylindric piston S', which passes through a stuffing-box s at the top of the barrel. Within the barrel below the piston is placed a coiled expansionsprinlg s, which tends to throw the piston upwardly. To the bottom of the pump-barrel are attached suction and delivery pipes 8 -8 which are connected with check-valves S S, which latter perform the functions of the check-valves in an ordinary single-acting force-pump. To the casing of the check-valve s is attached an oil-supply pipe S while the supply-pipe J a of the carburetor is connected with the casing of the check-valve S The pump-barrel is located at the side of the main or power cylinder adjacent to the'connecting-rod I of the supply or charging cylinderyand motion is given to the pump-piston by means of a bellcrank lever T, which is pivoted on a bracket t, attached to the cylinder and which is actuated. through the lateral movement of said connecting-rod by means of a horizontal arm t, attached to the upper cnd of 'th'e vertical arm of the bell-crank lever and extending outwardly into the path of the connecting-rod. The horizontal arm of said bell-crank lever rests in a slot in the upperend of the pumppiston, which latter being forced upwardly by a spring beneath it tends to lift the horizontal arm of the bell-crank lever and thus throw and hold thearm t thereof againstthe" said connecting rod. The pump 7 barrel is shown as secured to a cross-bar's, which latter isattached to a depending bar of the bracket t in the manner illustrated-- As a further improyement in explosive-en gines of the character described I propose to provide the power-cylinder with an inlet-passage provided with a check-valve which opens, inwardly or toward-the cylinder, but which is-adapted to close positively to prevent the outward escape of airor gas from the cylinder. Such passage is shown in Fig. 2 as having the form of a pipe U, connected with the upper part of the cylinder and provided with a gravity-acting check-valve to, adjacent to the cylinder. The purpose of'such passage and check-valve is to prevent the formation of a vacuum within'the cylinder-and loss of power which would arise by the formation of such vacuums. The presence. of a vacuum within the cylinder is not liable to occur in v the ordinary ru'nningof an epgine; but it may occur in starting the engine or in cases where by the action of the governor-no explosion takes place, under which latter circumstances the quantity of air within the cylinder at the beginning of the downstroke will be that which was. contained in the cylinder at thebeginning of the previous upstroke, less any quantity which may have escaped during the act of compressing the air. It follows that where an escape of air has taken'place the amount of-air within the cylinder may be insuffic'ient to fill the sameat normal'pressure when the piston reaches the outward or downward limit of its powerkstroke. p t

v I claim as my invention v 1. The combinationwith' a power-cylinder and means for supplying air thereto at the termination of each stroke of the piston, of

means forsupplying gas or vapor to the powercylinder comprising a charging-cylinder connected with the power-cylinder by a portor passage, 9. carbureting device connected with the inlet-opening of saidcharg'ing-cylinder,

anigniting device, a check-valve in said port or passage and a perl'oratedplate extending over the opening'of said passage within the powercylinder, and forming an inclosure o ening into the cylinder adjacent to the ignitingdevice. i t.

2. The combination with a power-cylinder, a charging-cylinder provided with a piston and a connecting-rod through the mediumof which, said piston is given motiop from the crank-shaft, of a carburetor and t pump ifor su pplyin g liquid to the carburetor comprising a pump-barrel," a spring-actuated plunger therein, and a bell-crank lever one arm of which vengages said plunger and the other enee of two witnesses, this 11th day of J uly,

arm of which engages the side of said con- A. D. 1895..

ilectin -rod and is held in contact with the same b y the spring which actuates the pump GEORGE LEWIS 5 plungem Witnesses:

In testimony thatI-claim the foregoing as C. CLARENCE POOLE,

- my invention I affix my signature, in pres- \VILLIS D. SHAFEB. 

